Piano attachment



(No Model.)

H. A. HAUPF. PIANO ATTACHMENT. No. 482,737. Patented Sept. 20, 1892.

E H I I I F 1 I I k 1 k lNVENTOf? ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. HAUFF, OF BROOKLYN, NE\V YORK.

PIANO ATTACHM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,737, dated September 20, 1892.

Application filed December 19, 1891- Serial No. 415,616. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY A. HAUFF, of the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Piano Attachment, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in piano attachments. It is a common failing with those who are beginning to learn to play the piano to drop the wrists and the backs of the hands too low, so as to allow the fingers to drag on the keys, and thus prevent the proper finger movements.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple apparatus which may be applied to any piano and which will mechanically cause a beginner to hold the wrists and hands in proper position for correct playing; and a further object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting the apparatus to suit people of any size.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a piano provided with my improved attachments. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the side pieces of the attachment, showing it applied to the piano-case, the latter being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a broken longitudinal section on the lineoc osof Fig.2. Fig. 4: is a plan view of the face-plate which is countersunk into the piano-case, and Fig. 5 is abroken detail view showing in side elevation a modi fied form of the attachment.

The apparatus is provided with two similar side pieces or supports 10, which are adapted to be arranged at each end or near each end of the keyboard of a piano, and which have at intervals notches 11, in which the cross-bar 12 may be placed. The lower ends of the side pieces 10 terminate in angle-pieces 13 or clips of equivalent construction, which angle-pieces have on their inner portions and depending from their top sides tongues 1a, which are adapted to extend downward through slots 15 in the face-plates 15 into recesses 16 in the top edges 17 of the piano-case adjacent to the key board 18 of the piano 19. The face-plates 15 are let into the edges of the case, so as to be flush with the top thereof, and it will be seen that the lower portion of the angle pieces or clips 13, bearing against the front portion of the case, and the tongues 14, locking into the recesses 16, will prevent the displacement of the side pieces 10, and these side pieces are .made so as to extend diagonally upward and forward, and by this means the cross-bar 12 may be placed so as to be at almost any desired distance or height from the keyboard 18. By fixing the side pieces in the manner described the connecting cross-bar 12 will extend parallel with the keyboard, and it should be spaced so that when a playeris at the instrument the wrists of the player will come above the cross-bar, and the cross-bar should be at such a height that the wrists when touching or when a little above the cross-bar will be in about the correct position for playing. If desired, the outer ends of the side pieces 10 may be curved downward, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and in cases where it is objectionable to apply the face-plate 15 to the piano the said face-plate and the tongue 14 on the angle pieces or clips 13 may be dispensed with, as shown in Fig. 5, thus permitting the clips to rest loosely upon the piano-case in substantially the position above described, and the outer ends of the side pieces may be supported by rods 20, which extend downward to the door and terminate in suitable base-pieces 21, adapted to rest upon the floor. This modification is shown clearly in Fig. 5, and it will be understood that other means for supporting the said side pieces 10 may be employed without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A piano attachment comprising the two bars having notches in their upper edges to receive the cross-rod and attaching devices at their lower ends to engage the keyboard, sub stantially as set forth.

2. A piano attachment comprising the two inclined bars provided at their lower ends with downward-projecting tongues and angle pieces or clips adapted to engage the keyboard, and a cross-rod adjustable on said bars, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with apiano, of notched supports extending diagonally forward and upward from in front of the keyboard and a cross-bar held in the notches of the supports, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with a piano, of supports extending diagonally upward and forward from the front of its case, said supports having at their lower ends angle-pieces to fit the piano-case, and a cross-rod held in the notches of the supports substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a piano having recesses in its ease adjacent to the keyboard, of forwardly-extending supports having anglepieces at their lower ends adapted to fit the edge of the piano-case and having depending tongues to enter the recesses in the case, and a cross-bar connecting the supports, substantially as described.

HENRY A. IIAUFF.

\Vitnesses:

WARREN B. HUTOHINSON, G. SnDewIoK. 

